Conservative Congregational Christian Conference
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The Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, colloquially known as the CCCC or 4C's, is a Protestant denomination organized in 1948 by those Congregational Christian churches and ministers who disagreed with what they perceived as unacceptable liberal stances espoused by the majority of the congregations and national leadership. By 1957, most CC churches entered a merger with the Evangelical and Reformed Church, forming the present United Church of Christ (UCC). Another dissenting CC group was the theologically more diverse National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC), which generally aligned its sensibilities somwhere between the CCCC and the UCC.
As its name suggests, the CCCC sits socially and politically on the Right and claims to be adamantly Bible-centered. It opposes such cultural practices as abortion, homosexuality and non-marital sexual activity, whereas the UCC usually identifies politically with the Left and holds a non-binding, or what it deems a less “fundamentalist,” view of biblical authority. The CCCC believes itelf to hold fast to orthodox Protestant Christian faith, without explicitly identifying with Fundamentalism per se, although inerrancy is a guiding principle in Biblical interpretation carried out by ministers and teachers. Some ministers have sought to revive an interest in the study and teachings of Puritanism; however, both Reformed and Arminian emphases may be found in the CCCC, as is usually the case with larger, more broadly-based evangelical groups.
The CCCC admits churches of any origin that operate according to congregational polity and that subscribe to the denomination's Statement of Faith, which contains most of the tenets of conservative evangelicalism as developed throughout the 20th century. Although refusing to permit critiques concerning the main points of doctrine, the CCCC does allow for local opinion and practices in areas on matters not pertaining to those subjects addressed in the Statement. The motto “In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty, and in all things, love” (coined by Puritan Richard Baxter) is repeated freely in CCCC circles. Member churches come not only from the founding Congregational and Christian traditions, but also Evangelical & Reformed (former UCC member congregations), Baptist, and non-denominational heritages.
[edit] Structure
The local church is the basic unit of the CCCC, but churches and pastors nevertheless agree to voluntary associate with other churches of like mind. To that end, regional fellowships are established across the United States, much in the same manner as the UCC and NACCC. Moderators of each area fellowship are chosen by the local fellowship (comprised of representatives from area CCCC churches and nearby CCCC member ministers). Area Representatives are appointed by the Conference Minister (who functions as the Executive Director or National Pastor for the CCCC). Area Representatives serve as local CCCC contacts, to represent the Conference Minister, and to serve as a liaison between the national organization and the area fellowships.
The CCCC has over 280 churches and 40,000 members in the USA and is a member of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship. States with the greatest concentrations of CCCC congregations include Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. The denomination maintains its headquarters in St. Paul, Minn.
[edit] Sources
Yearbook, Conservative Congregational Christian Conference
Handbook of Denominations, 12th edition (Abingdon Press)
Modern Day Pilgrims (2000: Foresee Publications, St. Paul, Minn.)
Foresee (official newsletter of the Conference)
